Albert van Abbe - Ostinato

Albert van Abbe - Ostinato
Following Claudio PRC's hypnotizing Moderskärlek EP, the next release for Trolldans is Ostinato, a four-track release from Albert van Abbe. It's another fine effort for the Eindhoven artist, who has a knack for churning out minimalist mid-tempo techno, and it's made even better by some diverse synth work.

The two 4/4 cuts are particularly strong. Anchored by a throbbing, offbeat bassline, "Ostinato 01" pushes through clouds of reverb while edgy, vaguely orchestral synths descend into the mix. "Ostinato 02," with its subtle, high-pitched stirrings, maintains the tense mood at first, but then van Abbe drapes the whole thing in smooth, warm chords—this beguiling juxtaposition makes it the EP's highlight. "Ostinato 03," the most upbeat track here, packs dense, heavily swung percussion and distorted chords, but it's not quite as dynamic as the previous two.

As usual with van Abbe, an ambient cut completes the pack. "Ostinato 04" tracks the slow, mournful disintegration of what sounds like processed cello loops. The organic approach is more remarkable than your average techno EP's ambient sketch, but you'd be forgiven if you end up stuck on "01" and "02," as it's those two where van Abbe really shines.